What is Radon Gas

Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas produced by the decay of uranium and radium. This naturally occurring, radioactive gas is produced in most soil or rock. As a result, all houses have some radon, as does the outdoor air.

Radon is an inert gas and does not react or bind with other materials. As a result, radon can move easily through any material that contains pores or void spaces such as those found in the soil beneath any home.

Also, because radon gas is inert, it does not react with the human body and thefore poses no serious threat to our health. The risk of radon gas present in the air, is that it quickly begins to decay forming other reactive materials called “Radon Decay Products” (RDP), which do pose a health risk. Unlike other indoor pollutants, RDP cannot be detected by our senses.

What are the Risks associated with Radon Gas?

The only known health risk associated with exposure to Radon and RDP is an increased risk of developing lung cancer.

Radon Gas and RDP in the air can be breathed into the lungs where they break down further and emit alpha particles, which in turn release small bursts of energy that are absorbed by nearby lung tissue resulting in lung cell death or damage. Damaged lung cells, which reproduce have the potential to become cancerous.

Cancers caused by radioactivity are the result of chance and not everyone exposed to Radon Gas and/or RDPs will develop lung cancer. The time between exposure and the onset of the disease is usually many years. Your risk of developing lung cancer from radon depends on the concentration of radon in the air you breathe and the length of time you are exposed.

Canadian Guidelines for Radon

Currently, there are no regulations in Canada that govern what is deemed to be an acceptable radon level in a home. It is the choice of each homeowner to determine what level of radon exposure they are willing to accept.

How Radon Can Enter Your Home

During most of the year, the air pressure inside the home is lower than in the soil surrounding the foundation. This difference in pressures draws air and other gases in the soil, including radon, into the home. Soil gas containing radon can enter a house any place it finds an opening where the house contacts the soil. These openings can be present even in well-built and new houses.

Some potential entry routes for radon in homes can be seen below:

Which Homes Have a Problem?

Almost all homes have some radon. The levels can vary dramatically even between similar homes located next to each other. The amount of radon in a home will depend on many factors such as:

Soil Characteristics
Radon concentrations can vary enormously depending on the uranium content of the soil. Also, radon flows more easily through some soils than others.

Construction Type
The type of home and its design affect the amount of contact with the soil and the number and size of entry points for radon. It also affects the rate of exchange of outdoor and indoor air.

Foundation Condition
Foundations with numerous cracks and openings have more potential entry points for radon.

Occupant Lifestyle
The use of exhaust fans, windows, fireplaces, etc. influences the pressure difference between the house and the soil that draws radon indoors. These factors also influence the rate of exchange of outdoor and indoor air.

Weather
Variations in weather conditions such as temperature, wind, barometric pressure, precipitation, etc can affect the amount of radon that enters a home.

Because there are so many factors, it is very difficult to predict the radon level in a home.

The only way to determine whether your home has
high radon levels is to test for it.